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GM Will not Press Criminal Charges in Marge Schott Case

01/03/97

United Press International reports that neither General Motors nor Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph Deters in Ohio will press criminal charges against Cincinnati Reds managing partner Marge Schott.

On December 4, GM filed a complaint against Schott with the Ohio Motor Vehicle Dealers Board. GM alleged that Schott falsified 57 sales at her Chevrolet-Geo dealership in 1995 as part of "an elaborate scheme." GM told the board Schott "simply fabricated 'purchasers' that never bought a vehicle."

The Motor Vehicle Dealers Board arbitrates disputes between carmakers and dealers, and also licenses dealers. It could revoke the license of Schott's dealership as early as this month.

Kyle Johnson, GM's spokesman for safety and legal issues, told the Cincinnati Enquirer, "we won't pursue fraud . . . We don't think that's in the customer's best interest, and that's our primary interest. We want to get the dealership operating appropriately to serve the customers."

Deters said, "we have not been contacted by GM and we won't pursue it on our own."

Major League Baseball, however, has said it plans to review GM's allegations that Schott "defrauded" the automaker. National League President Len Coleman said, "we will look at the complaint and an appropriate response will be taken as warranted."

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel